Cargo Shipping Container

ABSTRACT

A universal cargo shipping container for protecting cargo from damage during transportation is described. The shipping container is a rigid framed box that possesses sight ports for allowing the contents to be visually inspected without unloading the cargo from the shipping container. The internal configuration of the argo shipping container can be adjusted and several methods can be employed to securely hold a variety of different cargo in place, thus preventing damage during transport. The cargo container is especially suitable for a variety of different makes and models of wheel chairs.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure is related to a cargo shipping container. In particularthe cargo shipping container has application as a universal shippingcontainer to protect a wheel chair from damage during transportation.

BACKGROUND

Wheel chairs are critical assistive devices for a large fraction of themore than 17 million persons with disabilities who travel by airannually. The cost of modern electric wheel chairs ranges from severalthousand dollars to several tens of thousands of dollars. These hightech wheel chairs contain a variety of features such as joystickcontrols, communication devices, navigation systems, body support andpositioning hardware, arm and foot rests, shock absorbers and springsthat can be damaged if not properly protected during transport.

The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) requires airlines to transportassistive devices, such as wheel chairs, for persons with disabilities.When stowed in the cargo compartment, wheel chairs must be givenpriority over cargo and baggage, and must be among the first itemsunloaded. On domestic flights, airlines may not limit their liabilityfor loss, damage, or delayed checked baggage associated with electricwheel chairs. The carrier may not require a passenger with a disabilityto sign a waiver of liability for damage or loss of electric wheelchairs and, if damaged or lost, the criterion for calculating thecompensation is the original purchase price of the device.

Damage or loss of an electric wheel chair can result in lengthy andcostly repairs or replacement, effectively limiting the occupant'smobility for the duration. Increased health concerns and costs representfurther issues as a direct cause of inadequate storage andtransportation of electric wheel chairs. A substitute wheel chair maycause not only discomfort to the occupant, but health problems such asreduced blood circulation and even pressure sores and ulcers.

A universal cargo shipping container is needed to securely hold thechair in place throughout the transportation process. For example,transportation by airplane involves loading and unloading the wheelchair, take off and landing, as well as turbulent flight, all of whichhave the potential to damage the structure and sensitive components ofan electric wheel chair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 a shows an overview of the cargo container.

FIG. 1 b shows the cargo container with the top open and the front paneldown to form the ramp.

FIG. 2 a shows a side view of the fastener bolted into the inverted “T”channel.

FIG. 2 b shows a side view of the fastener bolted into a slot.

FIG. 2 c is a top view showing how the fastener is inserted into thechannels in the base of the container and then rotated into place.

FIG. 3 a shows the eyebolt configuration of the fastener used to anchortie down straps to the base.

FIG. 3 b shows the long threaded bolt configuration of the fastener usedto secure the wheel chair using the seat plate.

FIG. 3 c shows the short threaded bolt configuration of the fastenerused to secure the wheel blocks to the base.

FIG. 4 a is a schematic showing ratchet straps hooked to the eyeboltused to secure a wheel chair to the base of the shipping container.

FIG. 4 b is a schematic showing the wheel straps hooked to the eyeboltused to secure a wheel chair to the base of the shipping container.

FIG. 4 c is a schematic showing the seat plate and long bolts used tosecure a wheel chair to the base of the shipping container.

FIG. 4 d is a schematic showing the adjustable wheel blocks and shortbolts used to secure a wheel chair to the base of the shippingcontainer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Disclosed herein is a universal cargo shipping container that can beadjusted to securely hold a variety of different makes and models ofwheel chairs or other cargo. The shipping container is designed toprevent damage to a wheel chair or other cargo during transportation onairplanes or by other methods. The cargo shipping container possessesthe following traits:

-   strong, rigid frame,-   easy to load and secure the wheel chair in place,-   reconfigurable to accommodate various makes and models of wheel    chairs,-   several methods can be employed to secure the wheel chair or other    cargo in place,-   easily moveable by airport baggage handlers, and-   contains sight ports for Transportation Security Administration    personnel to inspect the contents of the container.

The presently disclosed embodiments of the invention will be bestunderstood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts aredesignated by like numerals throughout. It will be readily understoodthat the components of the present invention, as generally described andillustrated in the figures herein, could be arranged and designed in avariety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detaileddescription of the embodiments of the invention, as represented in FIGS.1 through 4, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, asclaimed, but is merely representative of presently preferred embodimentsof the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 a, a cargo shipping container 10 is disclosed inwhich a wheel chair or other cargo can be secured to protect the wheelchair or other cargo from damage during transportation. The containerconsists of a rigid frame 11 attached to a base 12 of sufficientstrength to support an electric wheel chair. Two side panels 13, a frontpanel 14, a back panel 15, and a top panel 16 are fastened to the frameto enclose the wheel chair or other cargo. The front panel 14 is used asa loading ramp and is sufficiently strong to support the weight of anelectric wheel chair. The strength can be obtained, for example, byutilizing a sufficiently strong material or a lighter material that isstrengthened with reinforcing members. The panels can be mounted suchthat the cargo shipping container 10 has either an external or internalframe 11.

Referring again to FIG. 1 a, one or more ramp hinges 17 connect thebottom edge of the front panel 14 to the frame 1 1 at the front edge ofthe base 12. One or more top hinges 18 connect the back edge of the toppanel 16 to the frame 11 at the top edge of the back panel 15. A latch19 is mounted along the edge where the front panel 14 meets the toppanel 16. The latch 19 is used to secure the panels of the cargoshipping container 10 in the closed configuration.

Wheels 21 can be attached to the bottom of the base 12 so that the cargoshipping container 10 can be rolled to different locations. In variousembodiments, the wheels 21 can be locking or retractable into the base12, or both locking and retractable. 10231 FIG. 1 b shows the cargoshipping container 10 in the open configuration. The cargo shippingcontainer 10 is opened for loading a wheel chair or other cargo byunfastening the latch 19 and swinging the top panel 16 open and loweringthe front panel 14 to form a ramp for loading and unloading a wheelchair or other cargo. The part of the frame 11 that extends across thefront of the top panel 16 is attached to it, and detaches from the restof the frame 11 as the top panel 16 is opened. When the top panel 16 isclosed, the part of the frame that extends across the front of the toppanel is secured to the rest of the frame 11 by means of a dovetailjoint or some other means known by those skilled in the art.

The two side panels 13, the front panel 14, and the back panel 15contain ports 20 as illustrated in FIG. 1 b. The ports 20 are regionscut out of the panels which allow the visual inspection of the internalcontents of the cargo shipping container 10 without having to open thecontainer. The ports 20 also allow access to the inside of the containerto secure the wheel chair or other cargo in place when the container 10is closed. The ports 20 can be various sizes and shapes and can belocated in different areas of the panels. The ports 20 on the frontpanel 14 must be located near the center of the panel to allowsufficient area for the wheels of the wheel chair to roll on the rampduring loading and unloading.

The frame 11, base 12, and front panel 14 are constructed from asufficiently strong metal, composite, or other suitable material. Eachof these parts can be manufactured from the same material or from avariety of materials having sufficient strength. The two side panels 13,back panel 15, and top panel 16 can be constructed from a thin, rigid,light-weight metal, plastic, composite, or other suitable material.

FIG. 2 a shows a cut-away side view of the base 12 with an inverted “T”channel 27. FIG. 2 b shows a cut-away side view of the base 12 with asimple vertical slot 28. Inverted “T” channels 27 or simple verticalslots 28 in the base 12 are used to secure various fasteners 22 to thebase 12 of the container 10. Because their function is the same, mentionof ‘inverted “T” channels 27’ is interchangeable with ‘vertical slots28’ hereafter. FIG. 2 c is a top view showing how the fasteners 22 areinserted into the inverted “T” channel 27 and turned 90 degrees. Therecan be one or more inverted “T” channels 27 in the base 12 of the cargoshipping container 10. These can be arranged, as shown in FIGS. 4 a and4 c, in a square or rectangular pattern, or in any other suitablegeometry. Fasteners 22 for securing a wheel chair or other cargo inplace are fastened to the inverted “T” channels 27 in differentlocations, thus allowing for a variety of different wheel chair sizesand shapes to be secured for transport.

A wheel chair or other cargo is secured to the inside of the container10 by several methods. FIGS. 2 a, 2 b, and 2 c illustrate the method forattaching fasteners 22 to the inverted “T” channels 27 in the base 12 ofthe cargo shipping container 10. The end of the fastener 22 that issecured to the inverted “T” channel 27 contains a rectangular head 23and an alignment piece 24, similar to a carriage bolt configuration,fixed to the end of a threaded rod 25, onto which a nut 26 is placed.The other end of the fastener 22 can have various configurations thatattach to different wheel chair or other cargo securing devices. Thesewheel chair or other cargo securing devices are described later.

Referring to FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, the fastener 22 is attached to the base12 by inserting the end with the rectangular head 23 through thevertical slot 28; the rectangular head 23 and alignment piece 24 will bein the horizontal slot 29 in the inverted “T” channel 27 configuration.For the vertical slot configuration, the fastener 22 is inserted in thevertical slot 28 through the base 12. The fastener 22 is then rotated 90degrees, as shown in FIG. 2 c; the rectangular head 23 will extendacross the width of horizontal slot 28. As the nut 26 is tightened, thefastener 22 is pulled up so the alignment piece 24 enters the verticalslot 28 and the rectangular head 23 comes in contact with the top of thehorizontal slot 29 or for the vertical slot configuration, the bottom ofthe base 12. The alignment piece 24 prevents the fastener 22 fromrotating, effectively securing it in place.

The end of the fastener 22 that is not fastened to the inverted “T”channel 27 in the base 12 of the cargo shipping container 10 can containdifferent configurations for different methods of securing a wheel chairor other cargo in the container 10. Referring to FIG. 3 a, an eyeboltfastener 31 is comprised of an eye hook 30 attached to the end of thefastener 22 that is not fastened to the inverted “T” channel 27.Referring now to FIG. 4 a, eyebolt fasteners 31 can be fastened todifferent locations in the inverted “T” channels 27, according to theappropriate configuration for the particular wheel chair beingtransported. Tie down straps 34 are attached to the eye hooks 30 andpositioned over and through the wheel chair frame and tightened.Alternatively, the tie down straps 34 can be positioned over the wheelchair seat or around any part of the wheel chair that will provide astrong location to securely strap the wheel chair in place. Any type oftie down strap 34 can be used, such as ratchet straps, provided theyhave sufficient strength and once secured will not slip or loosen intransport.

A variation of the eyebolt fastener 31 and strap 34 over the wheel chairmethod is the eyebolt fastener 31 and tire strap 35 method as shown inFIG. 4 b. In this configuration, an eyebolt fastener 31 is bolted infront of and behind each wheel chair wheel 36. Tire straps 35 arepositioned over each wheel 36, anchored to the eyebolt fasteners 31, andtightened to secure the wheel chair to the base 12 of the cargo shippingcontainer 10. Any type of tire strap 35 can be used, such as ratchetstraps, providing they have sufficient strength and once secured willnot slip or loosen in transport.

In another embodiment, the fastener 22 is configured such that the endthat is not fastened to the inverted “T” channel 27 in the base 12 ofthe cargo shipping container 10 is simply a long extension of thethreaded rod 25, as shown in FIG. 3 b. Four of these long bolts 32 arefastened to the base 12 of the cargo container 10, two on each side ofthe wheel chair seat as shown in FIG. 4 c. A rectangular seat plate 37is placed over the wheel chair seat with the long bolts 32 passingthrough holes machined in the seat plate 37. Nuts 26 are tightened onthe long bolts 32 to secure the plate 37 against the wheel chair seat tohold the wheel chair in place during transport.

As shown in FIG. 4 d, wheel blocks 38 can be used to hold the wheelchair wheels 36 in place when it is known the cargo container 10 willremain upright at all times, or to supplement other methods to securethe wheel chair to the base of the cargo container 10. The wheel blocks38 are “L” shaped pieces of material, usually made from a metal oralloy, with a slot 39 through the structure. A wheel block 38 isfastened to the inverted “T” channel 27 in the base 12 of the cargocontainer 10 using a short bolt fastener 33. The short bolt fastener 33,shown in FIG. 3 c, consists of a short threaded rod 25 on the end of thefastener. Short bolt fasteners 33 are inserted into the inverted “T”channel 27 in the base 12 in the same manner as described previously forother fasteners. A wheel block 38 is placed over each of the four shortbolts 33, with the short bolt 33 passing through the wheel block slot39, and butted up against the wheels 36. Each wheel block 38 can beadjusted via the slot 39 to position the wheel block 38 against the sideof the wheel chair wheel 36. The wheel blocks 38 are then secured vianuts 26 to the short bolts 33 to prevent the wheels 36 of the wheelchair from moving during transit. The multiple inverted “T” channels 27and slots 39 in the wheel blocks 38 allow for securing various wheelchairs of different dimensions.

It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changesmay be made to the details of the above-described embodiments withoutdeparting from the underlying principles of the invention.

1. A cargo container comprising: a structural frame of sufficientstrength to be capable of supporting cargo weight; a base capable ofsupporting cargo weight, attached to said frame, to which fasteners canbe attached for securing cargo in place; a left side wall panel attachedto said frame; a right side wall panel attached to said frame; a topwall panel attached to said frame; a back wall panel attached to saidframe; a front wall panel attached to said frame; said front wall panelhinged at its bottom edge to said frame so that it can be lowered toprovide a ramp for loading into the container; said front wall panelbeing of sufficient strength to be capable of supporting cargo; said topwall panel hinged on the back edge to said frame so it can be openedwhen loading cargo and providing access to the inside of the containerto secure cargo in place; a first observation port; said firstobservation port designed to allow for access to the inside of thecontainer for securing cargo in place and to allow the contents of thecontainer to be visually inspected without unloading cargo.
 2. Thecontainer of claim 1 wherein: said frame is sufficiently strong tomaintain the shape of the container when it is tipped on any side withcargo secured inside to the base of the container.
 3. The container ofclaim 1, further comprising: a fastener system such that when thecontainer is moved, jostled, and tipped on a side, back, or top, thecargo remains secured in position attached to said base inside thecontainer.
 4. The container of claim 1, further comprising: wheelsattached to said base.
 5. The container of claim 1, further comprising:a system of straps having two ends; a means to tighten said straps;fasteners in said base or said frame of the container; said strapscapable of being placed over the cargo; said strap ends attached to saidfasteners; said straps tightened to secure the cargo in place.
 6. Thecontainer of claim 1, further comprising: anchors; straps; channels insaid base of the container said anchors bolted to said channels in saidbase of the container; said straps attached to secure the cargo.
 7. Thecontainer of claim 1, further comprising; blocks; channels in said baseof said container said blocks bolted to various locations in saidchannels to secure the cargo.
 8. The container of claim 1, furthercomprising: vertical rods; channels in said base of the container; saidvertical rods bolted to various locations along said channels in saidbase; a plate; said plate placed over the cargo and bolted to said rodsto secure cargo.
 9. The container of claim 4 wherein: said wheels areretractable.
 10. The container of claim 7, wherein: said blockspositioned and adjusted front to back in said channels in said base;said blocks are slotted to allow side to side adjustment to accommodatedifferent cargo dimensions; said blocks shaped to prevent the cargo frommoving forward and backwards and sliding left and right when bolted intoposition.
 11. The container of claim 1 further comprising: a secondobservation port located on a side different from said first observationport.
 12. A wheel chair container comprising: a structural frame ofsufficient strength to be capable of supporting wheel chair weight; abase capable of supporting wheel chair weight, attached to said frame,to which fasteners can be attached for securing wheel chair in place; aleft side wall panel attached to said frame; a right side wall panelattached to said frame; a top wall panel attached to said frame; a backwall panel attached to said frame; a front wall panel attached to saidframe; said front wall panel hinged at its bottom edge to said frame sothat it can be lowered to provide a ramp for loading into the container;said front wall panel being of sufficient strength to be capable ofsupporting wheel chair; said top wall panel hinged on the back edge tosaid frame so it can be opened when loading wheel chair and providingaccess to the inside of the container to secure wheel chair in place; afirst observation port; said first port designed to allow for access tothe inside of the container for securing wheel chair in place and toallow the contents of the container to be visually inspected withoutunloading wheel chair.
 13. The container of claim 12, wherein: saidframe is sufficiently strong to maintain the shape of the container whenit is tipped on any side with wheel chair secured inside to said base ofthe container.
 14. The container of claim 12, further comprising: afastener system such that when the container is moved, jostled, andtipped on a side, back, or top, the wheel chair remains secured inposition attached to said base inside the container.
 15. The containerof claim 12, further comprising: wheels attached to said base.
 16. Thecontainer of claim 12, further comprising: a system of straps having twoends; a means to tighten said straps; fasteners in said base or saidframe of the container; said straps capable of being placed over thewheel chair; said strap ends attached to said fasteners; said strapstightened to secure the wheel chair in place.
 17. The container of claim12, further comprising: anchors; straps; channels in said base of thecontainer said anchors bolted to said channels in said base of thecontainer; said straps attached to secure the wheel chair.
 18. Thecontainer of claim 12, further comprising; blocks; channels in said baseof the container; said blocks bolted to various locations in saidchannels to secure the wheel chair.
 19. The container of claim 12,further comprising: vertical rods; channels in said base of thecontainer; said vertical rods bolted to various locations along saidchannels in said base; a plate; said plate placed over the wheelchairand bolted to said rods to secure wheel chair.
 20. The container ofclaim 15 wherein: said wheels are retractable.
 21. The container ofclaim 18, wherein: said blocks positioned and adjusted front to back insaid channels in said base; said blocks are slotted to allow side toside adjustment to accommodate different wheelchair dimensions; saidblocks shaped to prevent the wheelchair from rolling forward andbackwards and sliding left and right when bolted into position.
 22. Thecontainer of claim 12 further comprising: a second observation portlocated on a side different from said first observation port.
 23. Thecontainer of claim 17 wherein: said anchors are bolted in said channelsin said base on either side of the wheelchair; said straps arepositioned through the wheelchair frame.
 24. The container of claim 18,wherein: said anchors are bolted in said channels in front and behind awheelchair wheel; straps are positioned over the wheelchair wheel.